Generally, radiofrequency or hyperfrequency components of the ohmic or capacitive type, do not have any particular associated direction of transmission. Thus for example a transmission line of the micro-strip type according to the state of the art, may equally be connected between an input radiofrequency line from a radiofrequency source and an output radiofrequency line.
For certain applications, it is important that the radiofrequency or hyperfrequency signal cannot return to the source from which it stems.
In order to meet this need, radiofrequency components called radiofrequency circulators have been developed. A radiofrequency circulator is a device with n ports, allowing a radiofrequency signal to only travel along a given direction, a so-called circulation direction, between an input port and an output port. The radiofrequency signal is almost transmitted without any losses in the circulation direction, and the reflected waves are strongly attenuated. This property is also called non-reciprocity of transmission of the component.
Circulators using a ferrite and permanent magnet structure imposing an electromagnetic gyration direction have been proposed in the state of the art, but this type of circulator has the drawback of being cumbersome and costly.
Alternatively, patent application FR 06 04857 describes a radiofrequency or hyperfrequency circulator based on micro-switches, which considerably reduces its size. Nevertheless, even by using the technology described in this document, it is necessary to manufacture a specific circulator component in order to obtain the non-reciprocity property.